Digital watermarking is a process for modifying physical or electronic media to embed a machine-readable code into the media. The media may be modified such that the embedded code is imperceptible or nearly imperceptible to the user, yet may be detected through an automated detection process. Most commonly, digital watermarking is applied to media signals such as images, audio signals, and video signals. However, it may also be applied to other types of media objects, including documents (e.g., through line, word or character shifting), software, multi-dimensional graphics models, and surface textures of objects.
Digital watermarking systems typically have two primary components: an encoder that embeds the watermark in a host media signal, and a decoder that detects and reads the embedded watermark from a signal suspected of containing a watermark (a suspect signal). The encoder embeds a watermark by altering the host media signal. The reading component analyzes a suspect signal to detect whether a watermark is present. In applications where the watermark encodes information, the reader extracts this information from the detected watermark.
A great number of particular watermarking techniques are known. The reader is presumed to be familiar with the literature in this field. Particular techniques for embedding and detecting imperceptible watermarks in media signals are detailed in the present assignee's U.S. Pat. No. 6,614,914, incorporated by reference above. Other watermarking techniques are known from published patents to NEC (inventor Cox et al), IBM (inventors Morimoto and Braudaway et al), Dice (inventor Cooperman), Philips (inventors Kalker, Linnartz, Talstra, etc. Audio watermarking techniques are known from published patents to Aris (inventor Winograd, Metois, Wolosewicz, etc.), Solana (inventor Lee, Warren, etc.), Dice, AudioTrack, Philips, etc.
One aspect of the invention is a method for enhancing a content object. The method receives a web page on a device and identifies a content signal included in the web page. The method derives content identification information from persistent perceptible attributes of the content signal, which is used to determine identity of the content signal. One such identification is obtained, for example, from a digital watermark imperceptibly carried within these perceptible attributes. In response to identifying the signal, the method generates code dynamically for execution with the web page. This code is operable to fetch remote information for rendering with the web page. The remote information is obtained from a remote server using the identity of the content signal.
Another aspect of the invention is a method for enhancing content objects. This method receives a content object uploaded to a server via a network, reads a content signal included in the content object, and derives content identification information from persistent perceptible attributes of the content signal. In response to identifying the signal, the method generates usage control instructions for controlling rendering of the content object within a web page in which the content object is included. The usage control instructions specifying remote information for rendering with the web page, and the remote information being obtained from a remote server.
This disclosure describes methods for integrating content identification and embedded signaling technologies like watermark encoding and decoding functions in software applications, devices and systems. Watermark encoders and decoders are integrated into operating systems, Internet browsers, media players, and other applications and devices. Such integration enables the watermark-enabled application or device to provide additional functionality and information available via the watermark. The watermark, for example, may link to metadata or actions related to a media object. To exploit this watermark enabled functionality, the integrated application uses a watermark decoder to access the related metadata and actions. The user interface of the integrated application is enhanced to present metadata and actions linked via the watermark. Similarly, watermark encoders may be integrated into applications to convert media objects into enhanced, watermarked objects.
One embodiment is an enhanced file browser system. The file browser enables the user to browse files, including media object files. It includes an extension to decode an object identifier from a selected media object file. The extension retrieves and displays metadata or actions associated with the media object file via the object identifier.
A related embodiment is a file browser with a programmatic extension for encoding an object identifier. This extension enables the user to encode an object identifier into a selected media object file. In an extension to the file browser's user interface, it displays options for controlling the encoding of the object identifier. The object identifier may be encoded into a watermark embedded in the media object.
In a related embodiment, a watermark decoder system is incorporated into a host application. The host application has a user interface for displaying a representation of media object files. It also has an extension for decoding a watermark from a selected media object file and for displaying metadata associated with the media object file via the watermark.
Another embodiment is an enhanced internet browser. The browser is enhanced with a listener program that identifies media objects in an HTML document, and inserts a handler into the HTML document when it finds an object marked with an object identifier. The handler displays metadata linked via the object identifier in response to user input.
Further features of the invention will become apparent with reference to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.